Embracing staycations and staying connected
Bolster cofounder Guy Phillips on learning how to juggle work with having a young child.
SaaS startup Bolster isn’t joking when it says it's bringing military precision to the world of shipping and logistics – and CEO, Guy Phillips, is part of that.
Having served in the British Armed Forces and managing deployments in Australasia, Phillips brings over a decade’s experience in the intelligence domain to the business-world. He is complemented by cofounder and US veteran Steffen Merten in their effort to bring data, machine learning, and domain-specific AI into supply chains.
The two years since its inception have been big for Bolster and Phillips. Having secured over $1.5m in pre-seed funding led by Hillfarrance Venture Capital, it has rounded out 2023 by signing on one of New Zealand’s largest exporters ANZCO Foods. In the time in between, Phillips and his partner had their first child.
With much in the pipeline, Phillips’ summer break will be short and sweet. He shares the details with Caffeine.
How long are you taking off over the Xmas New Year break?
At Bolster, where we embrace remote work and flexible hours, I've tweaked my holiday breaks to be shorter and more frequent, usually around three to four days. It aligns well with the standard public holidays this time of year. There's always something happening, so staying connected helps handle any sudden surprises that come our way.
Where are you planning to go?
I've started to embrace the staycation. We live on a small block, and I find solace in outdoor home projects. It's a good balance for me. We're planting and nurturing native bush and managing a small flock of sheep and some playful dogs. However, this year, we're headed to Rotorua to hang out with my incredible in-laws. Hopefully, we'll get the kayaks out and explore the stunning lakes up there.
How do you plan to keep the business going while you do?
Our team is geared up to manage routine tasks smoothly, and our processes ensure essential operations don't hinge on physical presence. Being a cloud-native SaaS app with 99%+ uptime keeps things running like a well-oiled machine!
In previous years have your holidays been disrupted?
Disruptions come with the territory, right? Unexpected tech glitches, sudden client needs, typical business surprises. But my cofounder and I aren't typically disconnected for long, and if so, one of us and at least one of the team will be around. Anticipation and flexibility are key.
How often will you take work calls or check emails?
I'll keep a loose connection on my holiday days, checking emails a few times a day and taking important calls if necessary. Boundaries matter though so I'll tackle urgent matters only. Staying situationally aware helps me avoid a mountain of work later. Got to recharge those creative batteries! I expect this approach to evolve as the company grows.
What was your biggest headache (problem) at work in 2023?
Welcoming my first child in late 2022 made 2023 a game-changer. Adapting to managing my time and resources was the real hurdle. Huge shout-out to my incredible wife who supported me through late nights and missed moments. But with our baby, I realised change was needed. I'm still in the learning and adapting phase, mainly through talking it out and learning from others in similar boats.
One thing you want to achieve in 2024?
In early 2024, our goal is to enhance our tech's capacity for positive impact. We're gearing up to test and put into production an extension to empower customers, enabling them to actively track, measure and critically action sustainability across their supply chains. We will be illuminating those concealed impacts and unveiling the obscured practices of associated industries. Decisions made with underutilised data have far-reaching effects, influencing business costs, consumer prices and our planet's health. We're striving to make these effects clearer, fostering a more informed and responsible approach to global trade.
Guy Phillips’ answers are part of a two-week series Break from Business as Usual Caffeine is running leading up to and during the Xmas break, featuring startup founders and ecosystem players.
As told to Mary Hurley
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